Hey, everyone! I hope you all are enjoying your 4th of July weekend! As we exit June and enter July, that means we are already halfway through 2026! Because of that, I might as well give you all my pick for the top 10 best movies of the year so far!
Keep in mind, I have not seen every single movie that has released in 2026 and there might just be a critically praised movie that you love that I have just not gotten around to yet. Also, these rankings are NOT set in stone and are subject to change as the year goes on. For all I know, my #10 on the list could possibly end up being my #1 favorite movie of the year.
Although there is still PLENTY of films to come out for the remainder of the year, these are the ten films that has affected me in the best ways for the first six months of 2026!
10.) Backrooms
While I’m not quite on the love boat with this one, I’m sure as hell on the respect boat. I love the original atmosphere and unique setting that Kane Parsons has created here, making the backrooms itself a fascinating place to explore whenever we are able to get to it. I did wish the overall narrative had more meat to it and Parsons didn’t have to keep coming up with contrived excuses for his characters to keep showing up to the backrooms. And I’m still scratching my head on the resolution to the whole thing. However, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve are great here and there are still plenty of seeds that have yet to be grown in the world that is Backrooms that I’m curious to visit yet again in the future. I can see this being a series of films that only gets better from here on out.
9.) The Sheep Detectives
Well, what do you know. Who would’ve guessed that a film about a literal talking sheep in live-action could end up being this heartwarming and cozy?! Even if it can be a bit too silly at times, The Sheep Detectives just tugs at your heartstrings in the best of ways and Hugh Jackman is as much as a welcome presence as he always has been on the big screen. If you are someone that adores the new Paddington movies, this might just well in your wheel house.
8.) 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
It made have taken a second try but 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is able to deliver the complete full package I wanted from the previous 28 Years Later film from last year, while standing as perhaps the best installment in this franchise since the original. The acting is terrific, the horror and gore will disgust you in the most delightful ways imaginable, and it is still able to follow the franchise’s overall themes by continuing to offer fresh, new, and different perspectives about a world that has plunged into total chaos without taking you out of it or even inviting comparisons to the world that we are currently live in. I sure hope this is able to find it’s audience through digital and streaming because if not, then MAN are they missing out!
7.) Hoppers
Hoppers is a showcase of what happens with Pixar allows themselves to let loose and forge their own path to creativity. The film has it’s own distinct animation style that compliments the storytelling without it being too overbearing or “in your face”, the characters are all likeable with their own relatable goals that anyone can get behind, it’s easily among the funniest Pixar movie in years, and despite prior reports of Disney’s efforts to downplay the themes of environmentalism, it’s able to get that exact message across in as much of a profound way as Pixar was able to in 2008 with Wall-E. It may take it’s time in getting to that exact point in the ways that it was intend and does have one or two cringeworthy lines about how “aware” it is of it’s own premise but the pay-offs by the latter half of Hopper makes it the whole experience feel worth it! While there are those out there that claim Toy Story 5 or Minions & Monsters as their animated film of the year, I’m still sticking by this one.
6.) Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die
After coming out of the closet making the criminally underrated A Cure For Wellness, Gore Verbinski is back to take a stance on the biggest global crisis at the moment, Artificial Intelligence. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die sees Sam Rockwell from the future to give us all a warning on how the robots and machines are taking over and it’s up to choices that we make now that can set the course to a much brighter path forward. The cast is greats, the visuals are aces, the ending is as poignant it comes, and it’s super refreshing for a movie to not have any subtly whatsoever to get it’s message across. Although Verbinski’s direction won’t be suitable for anyone, this is a solid watch.
5.) Send Help
Can we point out how much of a miracle that a film like Send Help exists? In an age of sequels, reboots, remakes, and legacy-quels conquering the film landscape and sucking up the remaining creative energy that Hollywood might still have, films like these are becoming more diamonds in the rough in the film industry. Thankfully, someone at 20th Century Fox or Disney was wise enough to give a blank check to the godfather of horror and superhero movies in Sam Raimi, his first original horror film since 2009’s Drag Me To Hell! Send Help is yet another worthy addition to Raimi’s Hall of Fame of Horror! It’s able to capitalize on it’s simple yet effective premise thanks to it’s two charismatic leads, it’s incredibly visionary direction, unapologetically excessive gore, and a script that will keep audiences on their toes the whole way through. Even if the ending leaves out a bit too many unanswered questions, it’s still an absolute blast of a motion picture that is definitely worth seeing on the big screen.
4.) Disclosure Day
Despite it’s polarizing reception, Disclosure Day is a very entertaining and engaging ride that makes for another fine addition to the “NOT a Marvel/Star Wars/IP movie” collection of the 2026 summer movie season. The cast is terrific, Spielberg is clearly having a blast making a movie about aliens again, and the screenplay is able to have it’s cake-and-eat-it-too, operating as both a solid thriller and a layer filled character study that will have plenty of delightful “explain” videos made for it. Not every single question the audience have will be answered but the ones that does is given a proper answer while the ones it choses to leave in the balance might just be for the better. It may not be quite S-Tier Steven Spielberg but Disclosure Day is more than enough proof that the godfather of blockbuster cinema still got plenty in the tank left in him and should still be treated with grace and dignity with each new film he releases. Even if not everybody will buy what Disclosure Day has to say about humanity and how the truth can lead to unity, it is bittersweet to see Steven actually try and perhaps that is what matters more than anything.
3.) The Furious
Have you been wanting to see a spiritual successor to The Raid 2 for the past 12 years?! Have you been anxious to see a balls-to-the-wall non-stop action thrill ride in the 2020s that is NOT John Wick?! Did you want to see a movie that takes the same plot and premise surrounding stopping human traffickers as Supergirl (2026) but done right?! Well, look no further than The Furious! An action packed masterwork that has no agenda other than delivering on over-the-top fight scenes, performing some of the greatest stunts and practical set pieces you have seen in years, and give you simplistic characters with human goals that you want to root for! Sometimes, there is nothing better for a film than riding with pure simplicity, without a care in the world of what lengths and leaps of logic it is willing to go to deliver the goods. Regardless of what way you chose to watch it, please check out The Furious ASAP!
2.) Project Hail Mary
Project Hail Mary is an incredibly well made, extremely well acted, and very well paced sci-fi thriller that works not just as a faithful adaption of the critically acclaimed book from Andy Weir (The Martian) but it also stands strongly as it’s own cinematic experience and a thematically moving think tank surrounding art and science . There is not a single second that is boring or uninteresting, Ryan Gosling is pitch perfect in the lead role as Grace and has great chemistry with his so-called co-star, it has a perfectly controlled tone that knows when to be funny, serious, and moving when it’s absolutely required, and even if you can see the inspiration from your favorite sci-fi flick from the 2010s (Gravity, Interstellar, The Martian, Arrival, Mr. Gosling’s own First Man! Take your pick!), it is able to have it’s own unique identity while telling a distinct story about the importance of loyalty, friendship, unity, and sacrifice. While it’s certainly not the most flawless film I’ve ever seen and I’m sure there will be nits to be picked from fans of the book, I can’t imagine Project Hail Mary being a better version of itself than what Mr. Lord and Mr. Miller was able to deliver here.
1.) Obsession
The most talked about film of 2026 is my absolute favorite thus far! I don’t think I’ve seen a film where the whole message of “Be careful what you wish for!” has been executed this well and scary! The directing by Curry Barker is top notch, the performances are all great, it has a nice blend of horror thrills and laughter that I don’t any other director would be able to combine brilliantly, and the ending still haunts me weeks after seeing the movie. It’s also makes for a perfect subversion to have the main protagonist practically being the villain of the film, being forced to face the consequences of the choice he made strictly for his own pleasure. Inde Navarrette deserves a damn Oscar for her performance and it’s yet another brilliant original horror film to go with all of the other brilliant horror films we have gotten so far this decade! If this is the future for not just original horror but original films in general, there might just be a light at the end of the tunnel for future cinema.
Let’s address the broken record in the home: Toy Story should have ended after 3! That is maybe the one thing on Planet Earth (aside from hating on anything AI-related) that everyone and their grandmother’s toys can agree on. Even if you are someone that likes and/or loves Toy Story 4, there’s not many that claimed they would cry themselves to sleep if that movie never became a reality. They just need to replay the ending of Toy Story 3 to do that. (Can someone grab me another tissue?!) I bring this up because Toy Story 5 is yet another Pixar sequel that is forced to walk the tight rope between being good enough to justify itself as a sequel and being good enough to justify itself as strictly a Pixar sequel.
While I highly doubt that Toy Story 5 will win over every single naysayer out there, it certainly does the best job it can at justifying itself, by providing a refreshing new POV with Jessie as the main Sheriff this time around and answering the question of how toys can possibly hope to survive in the age of technology. It certainly takes it’s time to put all it’s chest pieces into place and you can certainly feel the overwhelming nature of this franchise having so many different characters that it will make your head spin. However, for a fifth film in a long-running animated franchise owned by Disney, it’s certainly no…… Ice Age: Collision Course.
Premise: Set two years after the events of the fourth film, Toy Story 5 follows Jessie (Joan Cusack), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and Woody (Tom Hanks) as they and the other toys deal with the presence of Lilypad (Greta Lee), a tablet and the new favorite plaything of Bonnie (Scarlett Spears). There is also a side quest featuring an army of factory-sealed, high tech Buzz Lightyear action figures that are looking to fulfill their mission for Star Command after being stranded on a deserted island.
The main thing that Toy Story 5 has going for it is the way it handles it’s toy vs tech premise. In 2026, it is no question that technology has played a role in everybody’s life and has greatly affected how we evolve as human beings. Instead of writing with paper and pencil, we are tapping on iPads and typing on computers. Instead of face-to-face interactions to meet and chat with someone, we are using Zoom and Instagram to do just that. Instead of reading books, we are doom scrolling on Twitter. And of course, instead of kids playing with toys, they are playing with electronics. We might not all like it but that’s the reality of how we operate in the age of tech. And Toy Story 5 is not afraid to showcase that whatsoever.
The film’s overall approach to toys trying to adapt into the age of tech isn’t so much that you had to live with just one or the other but more about how both toys and tech have their merits and it would be foolish to suggest otherwise. In the case of trying to win over Bonnie’s playtime, Jessie and LilyPad have no goal throughout the film other than doing what they believe is best for their kid. While LilyPad wants to help Bonnie find any friend she possibly can, Jessie wants to help Bonnie find the “right” friend.
Co-directors and co-writers Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris are obviously not blind to our obsession with technology in this day and age and how it has played a major role in our lifetimes. As much as we complain about how the internet and social media has ruined our lives, we really can’t imagine a world without them now because that’s how folks go on with their days. But, just as long as we make sure to make time with the ones we love and make room for others things, tech can still play a good role in our lives if we allow it. Any other film could have easily took the safe route with a whole “tech bad, toys good” message but Stanton and Harris both know that we are beyond that mentality and simply can go back to the days of stones and sticks. We can no longer focus on how life was so much better before tech, we can now only focus on how we can make life better WITH tech.
The other major element of Toy Story 5 is Sheriff Jessie taking the lead this time around. While plenty of purists bark at the idea of a character other than Woody or Buzz taking the main spotlight of a Toy Story film, there’s more than enough justification for Jessie being in the frontline this time around. Even if you complete forgot how the last film left off with Woody deciding to stay with Bo Peep and passing the baton down to his fellow cowgirl, the film makes it clear that Jessie is the one with the biggest connection to Bonnie herself and has to be the one to lead the charge.
Her story ties back to her resonating arc from Toy Story 2, with her yet again fearing abandonment and forgetfulness from her owner, wanting to do everything in her power to make an everlasting impact of her child’s life before it’s too late. She meets up with new friends along the way (the best of which is Smarty Pants, voiced by Conan O’Brien), showcasing how toys and tech can indeed become one of the same and learning along the way that there is absolutely zero shame in that. And yes, without getting too deep into spoilers, the emotional highpoint of the film does indeed serve as a perfect parallel to “When She Loved Me” from Toy Story 2, with Taylor Swift fitting into the shoes of Sarah McLachlan flawlessly.
Oh, and in case if you are wondering about the subplot with the army of the high-tech Buzz Lightyear action figures that were isolated on an island, it’s mostly just an excuse to give Buzz more action in the film and allow Tim Allen to have a bit of extra fun in the voice recording booth. It’s justified itself enough by tying itself back to the the film’s core themes of toys becoming a thing in the past and needing to make the right upgrades in order to survive for the future. Not to mention, having some of the best gags and references to the previous installments in the entire film.
Buzz himself is giving a role similar to Kristoff in Frozen 2, wanting to do everything he can to please the woman he loves most by acting as her deputy while constantly trying to propose to her over and over again until he’s blue in the face. Thankfully, it’s nowhere near as redundant as it was in Frozen 2 and it concludes in a way that will certainly make the die hard Buzz and Jessie shippers lose their minds. (It does make you wonder why it took so long after 3 for Buzz to want to pop the question!) I imagine that will been seen as too sappy by certain people but hey, at least it’s better use for our beloved space ranger than him finding his “inner voice” (Seriously, what was that all about in the last film?!).
And if you are curious to know how they handled our favorite cowboy’s return, well….there’s not much to say really. Woody is easily giving the least important role he has ever had in this series up to this point, given the shaky feeling that he’s only around now for the sake of merchandising. (Even Andrew Stanton himself admitted he had no idea how to bring Woody back). I imagine Josh D’Amaro and Diana Walden couldn’t bear the thought of having to answer to the millions of parents whose children cried in the theaters because Woody wasn’t there.
While there’s an occasional flirting around with the idea of the older western toys being forced to match up with the newer, high-tech toys along with some amusing back-and-forth between him and Buzz, Woody’s role here feels rather superficial. Even the whole “balding head” and “bear belly” stick that the marketing made such a big deal out of doesn’t end up mattering that much, with Stanton and Harris basically gasping at straws with what to do with him.
This ties back to the weakest link of Toy Story 5, which is the overabundance of supporting characters that this franchise doesn’t know what to do with anymore. Much like Toy Story 4, the film’s desire to put the main focus on the handful of characters that drive forward the narrative and brand new characters it introduces means that a good chunk of the toy gang that the audience followed throughout the first three films is left on the shelfs to gather more dust. Even the toys that were introduced last time around such as Duke Caboom, Ducky, and Bunny are given screentime so slim that you can easily blink and you will miss them. (Not to mention, Bo Peep ends up getting sidelined…..again!) If Toy Story 2 was able to keep it’s core focus on Woody while also finding plenty for the supporting cast to do, then what excuse does these last two installments have?
Sure, characters like Hamm and Mr. and Mrs. Potato head are given a couple more lines than last time and there’s a decent laugh or two with Forky and his new “knife” but Pixar, you might want to pump the breaks on adding more toys if you can’t even bother to play with the ones that you already owned. It’s no wonder Bonnie keeps losing you guys!
And while the overall film resolution is satisfying by itself, you can’t help but think they were going for a much bolder and more daring change to the series’ overall status quo but then they just….backs away. Maybe that has to also factor in the massive number of characters now but even I’m now starting to lose track on which kid owns which toy now. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pixar got spooked by folks who cried foul to the ending of the last film and didn’t want to poke that bear again.
When it comes to everything else, it’s all fine and daddy. The animation continues to be stunning and deserving to be seen on the biggest screen possible (especially when it comes to every playtime scene and the 50+ Buzz Lightyear’s in action), Randy Newman proves he’s still got it as the series’ longtime composer and secret MVP, and while you can definitely tell that Hanks, Allen, and Cusack have shown their age as Woody, Buzz, and Jessie respectively, they are still given whatever energy and life they got left into these characters to make them stand out as some of Pixar’s absolute finest creations. Cusack in particular does her duty to make Jessie’s spotlight feel all the more worth it. While the trailers and clips shown off don’t do a good job at showcasing that, the actual finished film does do her justice. Oh, and Greta Lee definitely feels like she is having a LOT more fun here than she did in Tron: Ares.
To the folks out there that see Toy Story 3 as the “true” ending to the series and find any Toy Story installment to come out after 2010 to be an absolute disgrace, you have already made up your mind about Toy Story 5. To the folks out there that acknowledge this franchise has passed it’s peak and just want an excuse to hang out with some of their favorite toys again, you will find quite a bit to like about Toy Story 5. To the folks out there who love Jessie and see her and Buzz as absolute ENDGAME, you will find a LOT to like about Toy Story 5.
Even as Disney continues to squeeze whatever dollar they can into Pixar’s most successful franchise, you can’t deny that the people making these films are doing everything they can to justify themselves to keep the franchise going creatively. And come on, you are flat out LYING to yourself if you think a movie that is basically telling kids to turn off their iPads every now and then and touch some grass is NOT a message that kids and families need in 2026.
In that sense, Toy Story 5 might not be the Toy Story sequel we needed but it is perhaps the one we deserve.
Other comments:
I need a Smarty Pants Disney Plus mini series ASAP! If you did one with Forky, you can do one with Conan O’Brien!
I can’t believe they actually allowed Bullseye to speak but man did they found the perfect voice for him.
I love my boy Andy but Blaze might just be the best human character in this franchise. Bring her back for Toy Story 6!
And yes, they will make Toy Story 6 one day! Just accept it!
I can’t help but wonder how much better this film would’ve been accepted if THIS was the first Toy Story film since 2010 and was the TRUE Toy Story 4. At least you wouldn’t have to come up with a contrived excuse to bring Woody back.
It’s hilarious how two years ago, everybody was opening arms for Shrek 5 and closing arms for Toy Story 5! How the tables have turned!
Also, Shrek 5 looks……well……….yeah!
Gatto will be Pixar’s next masterpiece! Get back to me in nine months and I will say I told you all!
We are approaching May, which means we are officaly enterting the summer movie season! The time of the year where the big blockbusters of the year are front and center in movie theaters everywhere now that the kids are out of school! Because of that, it’s time to do a list of what I believe will be the top highest grossing films of the summer!
With Hollywood continuing to struggle in the movie theater business post-covid, only God knows how many more summer movie seasons await. Although, theaters have been picking up great momentum in the box office as of late with the likes of Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it’s unclear how long they will be able to carry that momentum throughout the rest of the year and even the future.
I think the 2026 summer movie season will give a big indication as to whether or not Hollywood is still recovering from the post-covid era of struggling to get people’s butts into theater seats or will this be the beginning of a resurrection for summer movies! We can only cross our fingers and hope for the best!
And considering I’ve been seeing multiple people put their own predictions of the top 10 biggest summer movies in terms of profit, why not throw my own hat in the ring and do my own list of this?! Keep in mind, these are the movies that I believe will be the highest grossing of the summer, not the ones that I desperately want to be at the very top. This list is not a matter of anticipation or movies I think will be objectively the best, this is a list of the movies that I believe will be the most to least successful in terms of the top 10 movies of the summer.
Also, this is a ranking based on box office numbers worldwide and NOT domestic. That list would be harder and more complicated for me to judge. This is how I feel the box office numbers will hold for summer movies WORLDWIDE from late April to mid August. Could I be dead wrong on every single one of these? Absolutely! But hey, it’s fun to be able to make predictions, right?!
And yes, I am throwing Michael in there. Even though it’s a movie that’s coming out in April, I think that gives up more “summer movie season kick off” vibes than The Devil Wears Prada 2. Just like how Infinity War and Endgame gave off more “summer movie season kick off” vibes….than whatever the heck released in the first week of May in 2018 and 2019!
Time to jump right in and put my predictions on what I believe will be the top 10 highest grossing films of the summer!
10.) Supergirl
Release Date: June 26th
Box Office Projection: $350+ Million
It’s very difficult to find any positive signs here. From it’s questionable release date to it’s lackluster trailers to it’s already nightmare PR, Supe’s cousin will have a hard time finding any sort of audience in the theaters come June. Even Jason Momoa won’t be the selling point that DC is hoping he will be. Unless the quality of the film ends up being nothing sort of stellar, with Elemental-like legs to help pull it through, I expect Supergirl to be one of the more heartbreaking bombs of the summer, falling into the same “female-led movies made for men” wheelhouse with 2024’s Furiosa and last summer’s Ballerina. Mr. Gunn and company better hope that Man of Tomorrow delivers next summer or else this new DC Universe might just be over before it even got a chance to settle in, (and that’s not even mentioning the GIANT elephant in the room that’s about to swallow Warner Bros Discovery up).
9.) The Mandalorian & Grogu
Release Date: May 22nd
Box Office Projection: $400+ Million
Who in their right minds thought that Star Wars’ first trip back to cinema since 2019 should involve an extension of a streaming series that ended three years ago and peaked in quality over five years ago?! With the near non-existence marketing and a very vague plot synopsis, The Mandalorian & Grogu looks more in-line with the The Clone Wars animated film from 2008 than any of the “official” Star Wars films (And that’s totally NOT because both films where originally meant to be several episodes of their own respective shows and JUST so happens to have Jabba the Hutt’s son in it). The good news is that it will have two weeks to itself, including Memorial Day weekend, before having to go up against any real competition, and if the budget is tight enough, it won’t need to make a fortunate to avoid a Solo: A Star Wars Story-level financial disaster. It looks harmless enough with the fan favorite characters from the Disney era in Mando and Grogu at the forefront, with the G.O.A.T. Sigourney Weaver thrown in there for good measure. If this doesn’t make any noise once June rolls around, it might be up to good old Ryan Gosling to salvage what’s left of the Star Wars IP come this time next year with Star Wars: Starfighter.
8.) Discourse Day
Release Date: June 12th
Box Office Projection: $475+ Million
This could easily come back to burn me later on down the road but every summer, there’s always tends to be one original film that’s able to break out at the box office in ways that nobody expected. Last year, that film was F1. This year, I can see Discourse Day being that film. Maybe it’s because it’s a Steven Spielberg film and the whole “Are aliens real or not?!” question that the film is asking has become strangely relevant in recent months (Thanks, Obama!), but I can see this shocking everyone in amazement to at least edge around the half billion dollar mark. This film’s potential level of grand success is all about the timing of it’s release and if the word-of-mouth is able to be on the level of Project Hail Mary. Films like Sinners, K-Pop Demon Hunters, and the two others I mentioned has shown that audiences are indeed hungry for more original stories/experiences on the big screen, the solid quality just needs to be there. And if the quality is there, don’t be surprised to see Discourse Day defying every expectation this summer.
7.) The Devil Wears Prada 2
Release Date: May 1st
Box Office Projection: $625+ Million
If there’s one thing we should all learn by now, it’s to NEVER underestimate the power of women. Films like Barbie, Wicked, and last winter’s The Housemaid has shown that the ladies will ALWAYS show up in drones to see films in theaters that are specifically made for them. The original Devil Wears Prada turns 20 years old this year and has gained a MASSIVE cult following throughout the past two decades. With the return of the OG cast of Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci, it’s strong marketing, and massive trailer hype/viewership, I fully expect The Devil Wears Prada 2 to kick off May on a high note and be the big film to beat next month.
6.) The Odyssey
Release Date: July 17th
Box Office Projection: $750+ Million
To be sure, a film like this making at least 750 million dollar signs in this day and age should be seen as a MAJOR accomplishment! There is no other filmmaker working today other than Christopher Nolan that could generate this level of excitement with a project like this! However, I don’t see The Odyssey being on the same level as Oppenheimer (which made $975+ million in 2023), as it won’t have the “Barbenheimer” hype attached to it despite it tackling a more “universal” story. Not to mention, the potential loss of its IMAX screens after it’s first two weeks due to Spider-Man: Brand New Day could greatly affect repeated viewings for its theatrical release! Christopher Nolan is perhaps the one director working today to where his name attached to a film alone will guarantee box office success (Every film that Nolan has directed since 2008’s The Dark Knight has been able to achieve this mark, even Tenet in 2020, A.K.A. the covid year!) and The Odyssey should be no exception! However, the road to doing Oppenheimer level numbers will be much tougher for Mr. Nolan this time around!
5.) Moana (2026)
Release Date: July 10th
Box Office Projection: $800+ Million
Moana is undoubtedly one of the most popular Disney brands right now, with the original animated film being the most streamed movie ever on Disney Plus and its sequel making a billion dollars just over a year ago! What will likely hold this live-action remake back other than the crowded family summer movie season is its lack of nostalgia factor! Live-action remakes like The Lion King (2019) and Lilo & Stitch (2025) were able to be the billion dollar grossers they did BECAUSE of the nostalgia attached to those films, which gave kids enough time to grow up, become nostalgic for the original animated Disney classics, and have raised kids of their own to share the theatrical experience with! Moana (2026) will be coming out at a time where the original animated film won’t even be fully 10 years old yet (It released in November 2016 btw) and just a year and a half after its animated sequel came out! It will still be a big success since the Moana brand is still strong but the lack of the nostalgic hook will prevent this from making a billion dollars!
4.) Minions & Monsters
Release Date: July 1st
Box Office Projection: $850+ Million
Since 2010, Illumination Animation has been able to crack the code on how to make crowd pleasing animated flicks for young kids, forcing their parents to take them to the movie theaters every other summer to see the newest Despicable Me and Minions movie that comes out. In regards to the installments that have come from this franchise post-covid, Minions: The Rise of Guru was able to make $940+ million in 2022 and Despicable Me 4 made $971+ million in 2024! Due to a much more crowded summer than in 2022 and 2024, having to compete with other family flicks such as the one-two Mickey Mouse punch of Toy Story 5 and Moana (2026), I do expect Minions & Monsters to take a decline as well, in a similar way that last summer’s Jurassic World: Rebirth was a slight decline with the other Jurassic Park/World movies. Even if this one ends up being slightly inferior to it’s predecessors and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie isn’t the $1.5+ billion juggernaut I predicted (Silly me!), Illumination and Universal should be eating just fine with their animated feature films in 2026!
3.) Michael
Release Date: April 24th
Box Office Projection: $950+ Million
I don’t care if the pre-sales numbers have been iffy thus far and the behind-the-scenes drama will put a giant raincloud throughout the press release, THIS is one that I can see being a global phenomenon. Michael Jackson is no doubt the most popular musician of all time, gaining worldwide appeal from all across planet Earth. With the high trailer numbers and the multiple generations of fans that MJ has gained throughout the course of several decades, there should be no reason to doubt his annual biopic will be a huge theatrical success. If the legs are strong and it ends up pleasing the masses enough, I can see Michael topping Bohemian Rhapsody as the highest grossing musical biopic of all time. This seems like the kind of film that will get people who don’t go to theaters anymore off their couches, similar to the likes of Top Gun: Maverick and Barbenheimer. Even though this film will be released in April, this will likely be seen as the true kick-off to the summer movie season of 2026!
2.) Toy Story 5
Release Date: June 19th
Box Office Projection: $1.1+ Billion
Although I was harsher on this one in my initial box office predictions earlier this year, this has grown on me quite a bit in recent months. To compare the box office numbers of the last two Toy Story movies, Toy Story 4 made $1.073+ billion about nine years after Toy Story 3, which made around $1.066+ billion. That’s less than a seven million dollar increase between these two films despite being nearly a decade apart! However, with it’s iPad storyline being very timely and the trailers seeming to promise a more traditional Toy Story adventure than Toy Story 4 did, I can see Toy Story 5 surpassing the previous film just enough to take the crown as the big family film of the summer, even from Disney’s own Moana (2026). Even if the film stumbles in quality or ends up being a punching bag on the internet like Toy Story 4 became after it’s release, there will still be plenty of kids and families that will go see this film in theaters to make it at least flirt with the billion dollar mark!
1.) Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Release Date: July 31st
Box Office Projection: $1.3+ Billion
Even in an era where superhero fatigue is at an all-time high, Spider-Man will ALWAYS be a box office draw no matter what! Him and Batman have proven themselves to be perhaps the lone superhero IPs that can still draw box office hits in the most uncertain times of the genre, at least if the successes of 2021’s No Way Home ($1.9+ billion), 2022’s The Batman ($772+ million), and 2023’s Across the Spider-Verse ($690+ million) is anything to go by. And NO, this will NOT be a No Way Home box office juggernaut but that should be expected considering this will (likely) not have the nostalgia of the good old days with William Dafoe and Tobey Maguire attached to it. I expect similar numbers to Far From Home (which made $1.1+ billion high off the heels of Avengers: Endgame), if not a bit more. Between the additions of notable Marvel characters such as The Punisher, Hulk, and whoever the heck Sadie Sink is suppose to be playing along with there being a decent amount of time since the last Spider-Man movie came out to build hype (No Way Home turns HALF a decade old this year btw!), Brand New Day will stand proud as the #1 film of the 2026 summer movie season, proving Spidey can defy ANY realms of superhero and Marvel fatigue!
1.) Spider-Man: Brand New Day- $1.3+ Billion
2.) Toy Story 5- $1.1+ Billion
3.) Michael- $950+ Million
4.) Minions & Monsters- $850+ Million
5.) Moana (2026)- $800+ Million
6.) The Odyssey- $750+ Million
7.) The Devil Wears Prada 2- $625+ Million
8.) Disclosure Day- $475+ Million
9.) The Mandalorian & Grogu- $400+ Million
10.) Supergirl- $350+ Million
As for other movies that missed the list:
Masters of the Universe (2026)
$325+ Million
I went back and forth between Supergirl and Masters of the Universe for the #10 spot but I went with Supergirl because I believe superheroes still have more appeal with Gen Z and Millennials than Masters of the Universe has with baby boomers. Even if the quality is on the level of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves like I expected to be given it’s Travis Knight taking the wheel here, He-Man just doesn’t seem like a popular brand in the year 2026. I wouldn’t be surprised if this film ends up losing Amazon quite a bit of money.
Mortal Kombat II
$175+ Million
Even if the first film was a bomb in 2021 (when half of movie theaters around the world will still closed), Mortal Kombat II should do quite well, with it being giving a more proper theatrical release and the trailers promising to deliver the goods the fans wanted that they didn’t get from the first film. Even if it will do numbers closer to Five Nights At Freddy’s than Minecraft, Mario, or Sonic, I don’t think WB will be too upset with the box office results. I only wonder if it was wise to delayed the picture from it’s original fall release from last year.
Scary Movie (2026)
$200+ Million
If Scary Movie is able to be on the same level of quality as last year’s The Naked Gun, then I can see the sixth entry riding the successful wave of Scream 7, opening the doors opening for more raw horror/politically incorrect comedies for the immediate future.
Evil Dead Burn
$50+ Million
Evil Dead Burn will likely end up being as buried and forgotten as ME3AN 2.0 was last summer. Again, what is it with these horror films getting the most bizarre release dates imaginable?!
Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie
$150+ Million
This will prove that Paw Patrol is still….a thing that exists for kids. But, it’s also coming out at the tail end of summer and when kids start going back to school so….yeah.
Jackass: Best and Last
$100+ Million
Johnny, please take us ALL home with Jackass: Best and Last! Just take us all home!
We are about to enter 2026 and because of that, I thought it would be fun to make some predictions on how I will think certain movies will do at the box office next year!
As we head into the second half of the 2020s, there is a LOT of uncertainty surrounding movie theaters and the film industry in general. From the emergence of A.I. to yet another massive company merger between Netflix (or Paramount), Hollywood is changing in ways that could dangerously affect filmmaking and entertainment in the immediate future.
However, there have been many analysts that predict that 2026 will be the biggest year at the box office since Covid happened. Because of that, many still believe that there could be a possibility that movie theaters will be seeing a MASSIVE comeback next year, proving to studios that there is still a large audience out there that do love going to movie theaters. While I can certainly understand the optimism, I do think certain people NEED to come back to reality in regards to their box office predictions for next year.
Yes, I do believe that there will be plenty of heavy hitters next year that will find its fair share of box office success but it’s simply not 2019 anymore! A market that consists of six to eight billion dollar grossers is just not sustainable in today’s economy. (And the less said about the inevitable A.I. bubble burst that could affect the already shitty economy in massive ways, the better!) Because of that, I still don’t see the box office in 2026 being on the same level as it was in a pre-covid world and I don’t think we ever will see that ever again!
Keep in mind, I DO hope there are many hits at the box office this year! I DO hope that we get as many billion dollar grossers as possible! I want the theater experience to continue being alive and well! I’ve been going to movie theaters for over the past two decades and I still make very fond memories of the theatrical experience every single year that I go! But since we are now entering the sixth year in a post-covid timeline, I have to be as realistic as possible with my predictions of how the movie will do in theaters for 2026 and for the foreseeable future! And I have to make those predictions based on the box office results that we have gotten for the past four to five years!
I decided I will give my predictions on 20 films that are currently set to be released in 2026! Ten of those movies will be what I believe will be the top 10 highest grossing films of 2026 worldwide! The other ten will be ranked based on release date and will contain films that I think will either surprise people in the best way or absolutely disappoint them in the worst ways at the box office!
And I promise I am NOT making these box office predictions for movies in any personal biased way. I am making the predictions strictly based on how I personally think these movies will do at the box office. So if you get mad at me, I’m sorry but I gotta go with what my gut feeling is on how I think each individual film will do in theaters next year!
Let’s not waste any more time and dive straight into what I believe will be the #1 highest grossing film of 2026!
1.) The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Release Date: April 3rd
Box Office Prediction: $1.5+ Billion
That’s right! I have Mario winning it all in 2026! After the past few years and seeing what has ended up being the most successful films of the decade thus far, I think it might be time we stop UNDERESTIMATING animated family films and video game adaptations while stop OVERESTIMATING superhero flicks. The Super Mario Bros. Movie was able to gross over $1.3+ billion worldwide in 2023 and I expect this sequel to gross even more than that. It’s gotten only more popular on streaming and I imagine young kids are hyped as heck to see the sequel when it comes out!
With the inclusion of fan favorite characters such as Yoshi, Rosalina, and Bowser Jr. to adapting what is widely considered to be two of the best Mario games (if not the best video games) of all time in the Super Mario Galaxy series, I have little doubt that our beloved Italia….I’m sorry BROOKLYN plumbers will be able to make lightning strike twice once again! From what we’ve seen in the trailers, it looks like it will give the audiences what they enjoyed about the first movie and perhaps even more. Some might consider $1.5+ Billion to be a somewhat unrealistic number for a Mario movie sequel but then again, I’m pretty sure the same thing was said for the likes of Inside Out 2 and Zootopia 2, which I strongly believe will follow in similar footsteps.
With how animated family films and video game adaptations have been dominating at the box office in the 2020s just as superhero films dominated the box office in the 2010s, I have very little doubt that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will take the crown as the highest grossing film of 2026! No amount of RDJ and Chris Evans returning to the MCU will be able to stop the inevitable that is Chris Pratt as Star Lor…..I mean Mario and Brie Larson as Captain Marv…….I mean Rosalina!
2.) Avengers: Doomsday
Release Date: December 18th
Box Office Prediction: $1.45+ Billion
Marvel is not the juggernaut it once was! It’s very unlikely they will ever be able to recapture that same consistent lightning in the bottle they were able to from 2012 to 2019! However, films like Deadpool & Wolverine have proven that audiences will still show up to these movies if it includes characters that they are deeply invested in and/or at least STRONGLY familiar with! And with the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Ma…….I mean Doctor Doom, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and the original X-Men from the Fox Marvel universe, Marvel will certainly be looking to capitalize on the familiarly and nostalgia of their past to make this the gigantic hit it will need to be!
The main question though is how much longer can they lean into that before audiences are sick and tired of it all together?! Will there be enough easter eggs, callbacks, and fan service cameos to overcome it’s messy and rushed development cycle and make back on what certainly will be an INCREDIBLY bloated budget?! Can they end this film in a way that will get audiences excited for Secret Wars in 2027 and whatever comes next for the MCU after that? The Russo Brothers have had a remarkable level of success with Marvel in the past but they might just have their work cut out for them here!
Still, if it does end up somehow sticking the landing on what has been an uneven as hell multiverse saga, I can see Doomsday doing Age of Ultron-level numbers (Remember when THAT was considered a box office disappointment for Marvel?) or right around the numbers of the first Avengers movie. If not, then I can see this being another Rise of Skywalker situation, in just BARELY making it past the billion dollar mark and putting this franchise on hold for several years, forced to several rethink their strategy for the future. While this will still do more than enough to be qualified as one of the highest grossing films of the year, whether or not this will change the “post-Endgame MCU bad” narrative remains to be seen!
3.) Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Release Date: July 31st
Box Office Prediction: $1.2+ Billion
Even in an era where superhero fatigue is at an all-time high, Spider-Man will ALWAYS be a box office draw no matter what! Him and Batman have proven themselves constantly to be perhaps the lone superhero IPs that can still draw box office hits in the most uncertain times of the genre based on their names alone, at least if the success of No Way Home ($1.9+ billion), The Batman ($772+ million), and Across the Spider-Verse ($690+ million) is anything to go by.
And NO, this will NOT be a No Way Home box office juggernaut but that should be expected considering this will (likely) not have the nostalgia of the good old days with William Dafoe and Tobey Maguire attached to it. A more reasonable comparison should be that of Far From Home, which was able to successfully ride the cocktails of Avengers: Endgame with $1.1+ billion. I expect similar numbers to that, if not a bit more.
Between the additions of fan favorite Marvel characters such as The Punisher, Hulk, and whoever the heck Sadie Sink is suppose to be playing along with there being a decent amount of time since the last Spider-Man movie came out to generate hype (No Way Home turns HALF a decade old this year btw!), Brand New Day will act like the golden era of Marvel never left and should very easily be a success for Sony and Marvel.
4.) Michael
Release Date: April 24th
Box Office Prediction: $950+ Billion
Now, THIS is one that I can see being a global phenomenon. Michael Jackson is no doubt the most popular musician of all time. With the high trailer numbers and the multiple generations of fans that MJ has gained throughout the course of several decades, there should be no reason to doubt his annual biopic will be a huge theatrical success. Except for one thing: his controversial backstory.
And I’m not just talking about the supposed made-up rumors of his past that have been debunked numerous times! I’m talking more of what’s come out recently with his connections to a certain someone that shall not be named because I don’t want to get banned from this website! Although MJ still has yet to be proven guilty of any particular involvement, I do wonder if more info comes out of of that before the film’s release, could that possibly affect the box office numbers for this movie and the overall reputation of Mr. Jackson?
If not, then I could easily see Michael topping Bohemian Rhapsody as the highest grossing musical biopic of all time, possibly hovering around or even reaching the billion dollar mark. This seems like the kind of film that will get people who don’t go to theaters anymore off their couches, similar to the likes of Top Gun: Maverick and Barbenheimer. Even though this film will be released in April, this will likey be seen as the true kick-off to the summer movie season of 2026!
5.) Toy Story 5
Release Date: June 19th
Box Office Prediction: $900+ Million
Toy Story is back…….again! For the supposed final (?) time……again! Yeah, as much as we all love to complain about Disney and Pixar making nonstop sequels, we all know why they get made! Because they are basically the only thing that makes Mickey Mouse and Woody a butt load of money nowadays! Just look at the box office numbers of Inside Out 2 and Zootopia 2 compared to Wish and Elio! However, I do think it will fall short of the billion dollars that Disney and Pixar expect this to make!
To compare the box office numbers of the last two Toy Story movies, Toy Story 4 made $1.073+ billion about nine years after Toy Story 3, which made around $1.066+ billion. That’s less than a seven million dollar increase between these two films despite being nearly a decade apart! Thrown in the negative scrutiny that has hit Toy Story 4 since its release in 2019 and the overall fatigue of this franchise (Remember the spectacular bomb that was Lightyear?!) and I can see this missing the billion dollar mark this time around!
There will still be plenty of kids and families that will go see this film in drones to make it at least flirt with the billion dollar mark but I do expect Toy Story 5 to take a bit of a nosedive from previous films when it comes to box office numbers! It should still do strong, just not the best!
6.) Minions 3
Release Date: July 1st
Box Office Prediction: $850+ Million
I may not understand the appeal of these films but there’s no denying that this is a very consistent franchise at the box office! Since 2010, Illumination Animation has been able to crack the code on how to make crowd pleasing animated flicks for young kids, forcing their parents to take them to the movie theaters every other summer to see the newest Despicable Me and Minions movie that comes out.
In regards to the installments that have come from this franchise post-covid, Minions: The Rise of Guru was able to make $940+ million in 2022 and Despicable Me 4 made $971+ million in 2024! Due to a much more crowded summer than in 2022 and 2024, having to compete with other family flicks such as Toy Story 5 and Moana (2026), I do expect this one to take a decline as well, in a similar way to Jurassic World: Rebirth was with Universal’s other money making franchise. Much like the latest installment last summer in the dino-verse, this will do strong and have more legs compared to other big franchises out there but not nearly enough to break all-time records or shock the world in amazement!
Between Minions 3 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Illumination Animation will definitely be eating GOOD for 2026! Somewhere, Disney must be sweating!
7.) Moana (2026)
Release Date: July 10th
Box Office Prediction: $800+ Million
This is the one that I’m probably gonna get the most hate for but I have my reasons to NOT put this among the potential billion dollar grossers of the year! Moana is undoubtedly one of the most popular Disney brands right now, with the original animated film being the most streamed movie ever on Disney Plus and its sequel making a billion dollars just a year ago! What will likely hold this film back other than the crowded family summer movie season is its lack of nostalgia factor!
Live-action remakes like The Lion King (2019) and Lilo & Stitch (2025) were able to be the billion dollar grossers they did BECAUSE of the nostalgia attached to those films, which gave kids enough time to grow up, become nostalgic for the original animated Disney classics, and have raised kids of their own to share the theatrical experience with! Moana (2026) will be coming out at a time where the original animated film won’t even be fully 10 years old yet and just a year and a half after its animated sequel came out! Nostalgia only works when you give the kids enough time to actually grow up and become nostalgic for something.
It will still be a solid success since the Moana brand is still strong and has grown even stronger in recent years but I’m just not sure there will be enough support from kids and families this time around to watch a (likely) inferior live-action version of an original animated film they already love to guarantee a billion dollars!
8.) The Odyssey
Release Date: July 17th
Box Office Projection: $750+ Million
I feel like I need to defend myself here when I really shouldn’t! To be sure, a film like this making at least 750 million dollar signs in this day and age should be seen as a MAJOR accomplishment! There is no other filmmaker working today other than Christopher Nolan that could generate this level of excitement with a project such as The Odyssey! When you have people pre-ordering their tickets for a film that won’t even be out in a year, you know you have a big hit on your hand!
However, I don’t see this being on the same level as Oppenheimer (which made $975+ million) as it won’t have the “Barbenheimer” hype attached to it and will have to compete against much stronger films throughout the summer compared to what Nolan had to compete against in 2023. Not to mention, the potential loss of its IMAX screens after it’s first two weeks due to Spider-Man: Brand New Day could greatly affect repeated viewings for its theatrical release!
This will still certainly be in the top 10 highest grossing films of the year! Christopher Nolan is perhaps the one director working today to where his name attached to a film alone will guarantee box office success (Every film that Nolan has directed since The Dark Knight has been able to achieve this mark, even Tenet during the covid year!). However, the road to doing Oppenheimer level numbers will be much tougher for Mr. Nolan this time around!
9.) Dune: Part Three
Release Date: December 18th
Box Office Prediction: $650+ Million
To make some clarifications, this prediction is NOT because I actually think Warner Bros is gonna stick with that December release date alongside Avengers: Doomsday! Despite what it’s been reported, I’m more than confident that the release date will be pushed up to October, switching with one of the other films that WB has planned for the fall, probably with either Tom Cruise’s Digger or M. Night Shyamalan’s Remain. Mr. Villeneuve likely wants to move on from this film ASAP so he can focus on the James Bond film he is currently attached to that’s set for release in 2028. And also NO, this is NOT based on the Netflix and Warner Bros merger because a.) I don’t even think the merger will be 100% complete by then and b.) WB still has films contracted to be in theater screens through 2029, which Netflix MUST respect if they want to avoid lawsuits. This prediction alone is based on the book which this third chapter is based on, Dune Messiah.
Not to give too many spoilers but Messiah was a rather divisive story that has been constantly debated among fans since the book was published back in 1969. It follows up the story of Paul Atreides in rather unexpected and subversive ways, which many people deemed to be very unsatisfying and unfulfilling to his story. And following the negative reactions to a film like Joker Folie A Deux, a whole “pull the rug from underneath” approach to storytelling can be quite alienating to common moviegoers!
I still do trust Denis Villeneuve to find some way to make the conclusion to Paul’s story satisfying in ways that will leave most audiences satisfied! But at its worst, I wouldn’t be surprised for Dune: Part Three to fall short of its predecessor similarly to how Wicked: For Good did (which is currently set to make at least 200 million dollars LESS than it’s predecessor). I guess there can be a price to pay for sticking too closely to the source material! Just ask Edgar Wright!
10.) Jumanji 4
Release Date: December 11th
Box Office Prediction: $600+ Million
Did you know that a new Jumanji movie is coming out next December? You don’t?! Well, there is! After a seven-year absence (that seems to be quite a trend), Sony is bringing back the Jumanji crew once again with a 4th installment that has still yet to be officially titled!
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle was able to gross nearly a billion dollars worldwide back in 2017 at a total finish of $962.5 million! The Next Level took a dip in 2019 but still grossed a strong $800+ million! Considering how much time has passed between the last installment and how much the theatrical landscape has changed since then, I do expect the next installment to make less than the last two. If the budget is in check, it should be considered a modest hit that should satisfy the higher ups at Sony and at least FLIRT with the idea of a fifth one.
The only question is here is whether or not Avengers: Doomsday and (at least at that moment) Dune: Part Three will kill any sort of legs and momentum this film could contain, just like how Barbenheimer was able to successfully bury Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning during the summer of 2023! Time will tell but considering how well-received the last two installments were, this should do just fine!
And now here are predictions for ten other films that are currently set to be released in 2026! This is not in order of box office success but by the current release dates.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Release Date: January 16th
Box Office Prediction- $100+ Million
28 Years Later was able to gross $150+ million during the summer last year but its divisive reception could sink this one a bit down. If The Bone Temple is able to finish what its predecessor started in a satisfying way, it might push a bit higher. If not, then I expect quite a decrease from it, possibly putting a potential third movie in peril.
Scream 7
Release Date: February 27th
Box Office Prediction-$150+ Million
It’s nice to see Neve Campbell return after her brief hiatus in Scream VI along with all the members of the cast from the original Scream but Paramount’s firing of Melissa Barrera and the absence of Jenna Ortega has put quite a rain cloud above this installment. It should still do fine as I imagine most mainstream audiences are unaware of the behind the scenes drama here. However, the controversy surrounding Scream 7 among the fanbase will likely cause it to make less than the previous film.
Hoppers
Release Date: March 6th
Box Office Prediction-$350+ Million
I’m higher on this one than most people. The fact that this latest Pixar film will involve a talking furry animal of some sort will attract some international markets this time around (Just ask Zootopia 2!), unlike their latest flop in Elio. Plus, it will have the benefit of acting as the sole theatrically released animated kids film until Mario comes out the next month. That being said, original animated films are a TOUGH sell nowadays. Between Hoppers, Disney’s Hexed, DreamWorks’s Forgotten Island, and Sony’s Goat, western animation studios will have to work hard to get their latest original animated films to be successes.
Project Hail Mary
Release Date: March 27th
Box Office Prediction-$575+ Million
I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about this being a modest box office hit! The Martian was able to gross $630+ million in 2015 and I can see this doing similar numbers to that. It’s got a likable lead in Ryan Gosling, an extremely talented directing duo in Phil Lord & Chris Miller (Their first film they’ve received full director credit for since 2014’s 22 Jump Street!) and is based off a very popular book from the same author as The Martian. If the cast and crew are able to work their magic, I can see Project Hail Mary fighting for a spot in the top 10 highest grossing films both domestically AND worldwide! Word of mouth will have to carry this one but if it does, this should be easily Amazon MGM’s most successful film at the box office to date!
The Devil Wears Prada 2
Release Date: May 1st
Box Office Prediction- $525+ Million
Here’s another box office hit that I think will be a delightful surprise. The original Devil Wears Prada has certainly earned a cult following since its release in 2006 and I truly believe fans of the original will show up to support Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway once again 20 years later. Between this, Barbie, and Wicked, it seems like Hollywood has finally got the memo that women will show up to movies if you actually make movies that cater to them!
Mortal Kombat II
Release Date: May 15th
Box Office Prediction-$200+ Million
The first Mortal Kombat film was a flop when it came out in 2021 but that was during a time when there was so much uncertainty surrounding Covid and Warner Bros were releasing their films on streaming on the same day as theaters. With the sequel getting a more proper theatrical release and the trailers indicating this will deliver the goods that fans wanted from the first film, I can see this doing quite well this time around, at least around on par with the Five Nights At Freddy’s movies.
The Mandalorian & Grogu
Release Date: May 22nd
Box Office Prediction- $400+ Million
Whoever at Lucasfilm thought that the first Star Wars movie released in seven years should be an extension of a Disney Plus show that ended three years ago deserves to be banned from Hollywood! The recognition of Mando & Baby Yoda will (hopefully) get this one to cross the 400 million dollar mark but that’s it! Whatever momentum that Star Wars gained last year with the theatrical re-release of Revenge of the Sith and the second season of Andor will be GREATLY swiped away here!
Supergirl
Release Date: June 26th
Box Office Prediction- $375+ Million
I will definitely get tomatoes thrown at me for this one but there are PLENTY of reasons for concern here. While Superman (2025) did fine overall and just enough to land in the top 10 of the year, its international numbers have shown that audiences overseas are just not into (most) superhero movies the way they were over a decade ago. Also, being sandwiched in between Toy Story 5 and Minions 3 along with being followed up by Moana (2026), The Odyssey, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day certainly doesn’t help either. Perhaps good reviews and word-of-mouth might get this over $400+ million but I can’t help but feel like Supergirl will be 2026’s Furiosa/Ballerina, a well-received female-led film in a mostly male dominated genre that general audiences couldn’t be bothered to go see in theaters. Just like what Supergirl said in the trailer, Superman might see the good in everything but I see the truth!
Clayface
Release Date: September 11th
Box Office Prediction- $200+ Million
I don’t know who in the world was asking for a Clayface movie but if it is has a tight budget and is a satisfying crowd pleaser, this will be another successful story in the horror genre!
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
Release Date: November 26th
Box Office Prediction- $500+ Million
Here’s a sequel that I can see doing much better than the last film! With a much more expansive cast (including the return of Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson) and being based on a critically acclaimed book, there’s little doubt in my mind that this Hunger Games prequel will top the previous film in just about every way! May the odds be forever in MY favor!
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